Student organizations have had to find new ways to operate this semester, from holding virtual meetings to changing the formatting of their events. Mobilizing Opportunities for Volunteer Experiences, or MOVE, is one such organization; this fall, they’ve been working to find safe ways to connect students to volunteer and community service opportunities.

That’s why they recently launched MOVEments, a podcast where students, student organizations, and local nonprofits can talk about the work they do in getting people involved in their communities. Episodes range from approximately 35 minutes to an hour in length and are released biweekly. MOVE decided on a podcast for this project because it allows them to go in-depth with their interviews, and allows listeners to hear these stories at any time.

Each episode of MOVEments focuses on a topic covered by one of MOVE’s six committees: animal welfare, STEM and education, hunger and homelessness, sustainability, medical assistance, and special projects. Past guests have included representatives from the Students’ Temporary Assistance and Resources (STAR) program, Books Not Bombs, and Hands On Atlanta. Any organization whose work fits into one of those categories can apply to appear on the podcast here. Interviews for MOVEments are conducted virtually.

MOVE believes that community service and civic engagement are especially important right now, because they allow people to stay engaged with their communities when regular interactions can be hard to come by.

“Covid-19 has affected a lot of lives this year, and there are so many organizations and projects designed to help them,” said Sydney Blakeney, logistics director of MOVE and the host of MOVEments. “Whether it’s donating clothes or money to a center fighting to end homelessness or writing a thank you note to essential workers, those actions can make a huge difference in someone’s life.”

Students can get involved with MOVE at any point in the semester. Visit their Engage page for a list of upcoming events (none of which requires MOVE membership to attend) and rolling committee member application. Organizations looking for funding for their own service projects can also apply for the MOVE Service Grant there, but they must do so at least three weeks in advance.

“There are a lot more forms of civic engagement and service than people realize, and I hope we can introduce people to them,” Blakeney said.